Teaching English in Vietnam: Red Flags to Watch Before You Sign a TEFL Contract

Vietnam is one of the most popular destinations for new TEFL teachers. The cost of living is low, the food is incredible, and the energy of cities like Saigon is hard to beat. But not every teaching job lives up to the dream. One teacher’s experience paints a much darker picture—and it’s worth reading carefully before you pack your bags.

This isn’t to say every school in Vietnam is bad. But there are warning signs that should make any thoughtful applicant pause.

When the “Support Staff” Are Actually Watching You

In some schools, academic coordinators are hired as teaching assistants. In reality, they may spend most of their time sitting at the back of the classroom on their phones—taking notes for reports on your teaching. It can create a tense, surveillance-heavy atmosphere. If you feel like you’re being evaluated every single lesson, it’s incredibly hard to relax and teach well.

Ask about how observations and feedback work before you accept a job. Good schools use observations to help you grow. Bad ones use them as a reason to monitor your every move.

Brutal Schedules and Commutes

One of the biggest hidden costs of teaching in Vietnam is travel time. You can easily spend two or three hours per day driving between public schools through congested, polluted traffic. Add monsoon rain to that, and the commute becomes physically and mentally exhausting.

Working hours can start at 5:30 a.m. and end at 7:00 p.m. That’s a 12- or 13-hour day. When you break down the actual salary per hour of real-time commitment, the pay starts to look far less impressive. Factor in morning air pollution, and you may find yourself getting sick more often than you expected.

Large Classes and Deteriorating Facilities

Public school classrooms in Vietnam can be overcrowded. You may face groups of 35 or more students, often with no air conditioning, no working technology, and chalkboards that haven’t been updated in years. Power cuts make things even harder.

Teaching in these conditions is not impossible, but it is exhausting. You are expected to be energetic, engaging, and patient for hours on end in rooms that are hot, dark, and cramped.

The Salary Gap and Resentment

There is often a massive difference between what foreign teachers are paid and what local teachers and assistants receive. That gap—sometimes millions of Vietnamese dong per month—can create real tension in the workplace. A school that doesn’t handle this carefully can easily become a place full of resentment and mistrust.

You should also be aware that taxes can take a significant chunk of your income. Some teachers report being taxed 20% during their first six months. That’s a huge hit, especially if you were expecting a certain lifestyle.

Unpaid Work Becomes the Norm

After long days in the classroom, you might still be expected to submit paperwork at home. One teacher described working four weekends in a row, followed by parent-teacher meetings, all unpaid. That kind of workload burns people out quickly.

If a school cannot respect your time off, it is unlikely to respect your long-term wellbeing.

The Darkest Red Flag: Abuse and Management’s Response

Some teachers witness local homeroom teachers using physical punishment in classrooms. It’s one thing to hear about corporal punishment as a cultural difference. It’s another to watch a student flinch when an adult walks by.

To make matters worse, some schools side with the staff member who used violence, not the foreign teacher who reported it. If you are someone who cares deeply about child welfare, this can be a deeply traumatic position to find yourself in.

Exit Fees: Never Accept Them

One of the biggest warning signs is an exit fee. Some schools demand a significant amount of money—like a full month’s salary—if you decide to leave before your contract ends. In many cases, this is not legal. But schools still use it to trap teachers.

Never sign a contract with an exit fee. If a company has to make it harder to leave, that says a lot about how well they treat their staff.

Trust Your Instincts

The money in Vietnam can be tempting. The lifestyle can be appealing. But no job is worth your mental health, your values, or your passion for teaching. Before you choose a school, talk to current and former teachers. Ask about schedules, support, classroom conditions, and how managers respond to problems. Read your contract carefully.

There are good TEFL jobs out there. But if something feels off, listen to that feeling. You are not just looking for a job—you’re building a life.